miércoles, 24 de junio de 2015

The study by the Natural Resources
Defense Council (NRDC) estimates that the
average American family of four ends up throwing away an equivalent of up to
$2,275 annually in food. Even worse, there is evidence that there has been
a 50 percent jump in U.S. food waste since the 1970s.

It’s especially troubling that at the same time, one in seven Americans,
more than 46 million people, including 12 million children, don’t know where
their next meal is coming from, according to a study by Feeding America.

Meanwhile, the rest of America continues to throw away unspoiled
nutritious food. If we cut our food waste even by a third, there would be
enough food for all those people who must rely on food banks and hand-outs to
be fully fed.

According to the U.S. Department of
Agriculture, a typical American household discards 40 percent
of fresh fish, 23 percent of eggs, and 20 percent of milk, in addition to
plenty of fruits and veggies. We do this because we buy more than we can eat,
so the food goes bad, or our meals are just too big to eat.
We also swear too much by “sell-by” and “use-by” dates; these are not federally
regulated and do not indicate safety, except on certain baby foods.
Most foods can be safely consumed well after their use-by dates. (Here’s a guide to help
you decipher what those labels mean).

When I first moved to the U.S., I couldn’t believe how huge restaurant
portions were. Clearly, these runaway portion sizes in the American food
industry exacerbate the waste issue.”From 1982–2002, the average pizza slice
grew 70 percent in calories. The average chicken Caesar salad doubled in
calories, and the average chocolate chip cookie quadrupled,” the NRDC study reveals.

As NPR reports, farming
practices also account for some
food waste. Peter Lehner, from the
NRDC, explains that if food isn’t sold to the best
buyer, it can end up in a landfill. “anywhere from 1 percent to 30 percent of
farmers’ crops don’t make it to market,” says Lehner. “The prices for fresh
fruits and vegetables can go up and down quite a bit, and farmers
may plant thinking they will get one price, but, by the time harvest comes
around, there’s another price, and it’s not even worth it for them to get to
the market.”

martes, 23 de junio de 2015

Reducing
the numbers of the most highly contaminated birds would cut the public health
risk by about 50%.

Campylobacter
could infect a third of the UK population at some stage during their lifetime,
according to figures just released by the Food Standards Agency (FSA). The
figure was based on the current infection rates of more than a quarter of a
million people a year, the FSA said.

The FSA
disclosed the figure to mark the start of 2015’s Food Safety Week. The move
also coincides with the launch of the FSA’s ‘Chicken Challenge’ – its call to
the whole food chain to halve the number of campylobacter food poisoning cases
by 2016.

Biggest
cause of food poisoning Campylobacter
is most frequently found on raw poultry and is the biggest cause of food
poisoning in the UK. An estimated 280,000 currently fall ill with Campylobacter food poisoning every year.

This
research showed that reducing the numbers of the most highly contaminated birds
would cut the public health risk by about 50%, the FSA claimed. That would save
thousands of people a year from falling prey to a painful form of food poisoning,
which, in some cases, could result in Guillain-Barre paralysis.

The FSA has
been leading the industry on reducing Campylobacter
contamination and is currently conducting a yearlong survey looking at the
levels of campylobacter on fresh completely chilled retail chickens and their
packaging. In partnership with farmers and producers, through to caterers and
retailers, all parts of the food chain have been working to meet the 2015
target.

Now, up to
a third of us could fall ill with Campylobacter
at some point in our lives. We all have a responsibility to do what we can to
reduce that figure. If everyone lives up to their promises – the FSA,
consumers, and the industry – then this really can happen, hugely reducing the
number of people who get ill every year.

jueves, 18 de junio de 2015

Forming FSMA steering team and bring in key
stakeholders regularly to align and discuss key gaps.

FSMA was
signed into law by President Barack Obama in January 2011, the food industry as
a whole has been closely monitoring the many pieces of this legislation that
affect our food supply chain. Included in the law itself are a number of
regulations that FDA must issue to provide a roadmap to foodborne illness
prevention.

What tools
can you use to plan effectively and logically for increased regulatory scrutiny
throughout the supply chain? The answer is education, collaboration, planning
and diligence.Education:A
company must take the time to dedicate resources to understanding the
requirements as well as understanding which stage of law making each
requirement is currently in. This takes time but is very important, as it can
assist in the overall, long-term strategy on compliance. Be a constant student
of FSMA and watch for opportunities to interact with regulators and others
through industry forums.Collaboration:This is key to successfully preparing for the new
requirements internally.. Consider forming a FSMA steering team and bring in
key stakeholders regularly to align and discuss key gaps and action plans.
Communication and organization for compliance are critical. Remember if one
retailer fails with regard to food safety, it affects consumer trust for all
retailers. We must work together.Planning:This
is probably the most challenging piece of FSMA implementation, especially if a
company has waited until now to begin the journey towards compliance. There are
many pieces that must come together to meet the new requirements. Diligence: Stay
the course! Continue to meet with your steering team. Update the company on the
status of the pieces of legislation. Visit each affected area of the company and
identify who can assist in managing the message. Be consistent in your delivery
of the status and the next steps required. Encourage stakeholders and provide
guidance and assistance. Gradually, you will begin to see movement.
It is no secret that FSMA compliance takes resources, money and time. It also
takes expertise and good planning. This is one example where starting from the
top level in your organization and working down makes the most sense.